Middle schoolers collect items for troops overseas (GALLERY, VIDEO)

A newly revived extracurricular activity at Meigs Middle School has incorporated a service project into its first year back.

KATIE TAMMEN / Daily News

SHALIMAR — A newly revived extracurricular activity at Meigs Middle School has incorporated a service project into its first year back.

See photos of the kids hard at work. >>

See a video of the kids' efforts. >>

Since the beginning of October, students with the Wildcat Information Network have collected items to send to troops overseas through the Company Grade Officers Commission at Eglin Air Force Base.

“It just felt like the right thing to do,” teacher Pamela Tisza said as the TV news students packed up supplies donated this week. “You couldn’t not do it.”

Schools across Okaloosa County were approached about participating, but Tisza said she wasn’t sure how many opted to step up. Nearly a dozen advisory classes at Meigs decided to participate, and they have donated more than 675 items, from lip balm to hackie sacks.

“We have a lot of stuff and we’ve got to organize it all,” seventh-grader Logan Martin said. “It just grew and grew. Now half our studio is full.”

The WWINstudents are preparing a news show for Friday to encourage even more donations before everything is shipped overseas. Two of the school’s staff — both retired from the Air Force — agreed to participate and will offer insight about what it’s like to serve so far from home, Tisza said.

While the main focus for the donations is on students, Tisza said they will accept community donations brought to the school’s office.

The class that ends up with the highest number of donations gets a free breakfast.